UC Cooperative Extension Specialist- Community Economic Development: Outdoor Recreation and Tourism; AP

Position: UC Cooperative Extension Specialist- Community Economic Development: Outdoor Recreation and Tourism (AP 25-36)
UC Cooperative Extension Specialist
- Community Economic Development:
Outdoor Recreation and Tourism (AP 25-36)

University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources

Application Window

Open date: December 9, 2025

Next review date: Thursday, Jan 29, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Saturday, Feb 28, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

Position Overview
The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) invites applications for a UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Specialist at the Assistant Rank.

California's outdoor recreation economy is the largest in the United States. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, California's outdoor recreation activities led the nation in value, accounting for 2.1 percent of the state's GDP in 2023-approximately $81.5 billion, which encompassed more than 545,000 jobs and $38.1 billion in earnings. Activities include boating and fishing, cycling, climbing, hunting and shooting, winter snow sports, equestrian activities, recreational aviation, OHV/ATV use, recreational vehicles, and more.

Sales of consumer goods, travel, and tourism expenses, as well as the cost of participating in outdoor recreational activities, all generate spending that contributes significantly to federal, state, and local tax revenue. This economic impact is particularly significant for rural gateway communities, where outdoor recreation and tourism-related activities comprise a substantial portion of local economic activity. Outdoor recreation economies are interconnected with multiple community domains, including strategic planning, workforce and economic development, infrastructure, small business support, housing, creative and knowledge economies, arts and culture, food and entertainment, youth development, and health and wellness.

The Specialist will balance opportunities and impacts of outdoor recreation and tourism, spanning infrastructure, natural resources, environmental stewardship, and sustainable, equitable economic development. With expertise across these domains and in facilitating collaborative approaches to community problem-solving, Cooperative Extension is well-positioned to help communities manage and leverage their outdoor recreation and tourism assets. This Specialist will work in a unique role at the intersection of community economic development and outdoor recreation and tourism through an innovative research and extension program.

In collaboration with academics, public agencies, and partners from the non-profit and private sectors, they will build capacity across California to foster outdoor recreation and tourism opportunities, as well as their benefits to local economies. The Specialist will work closely with UC ANR's Community Economic Development Program Area to develop statewide and local plans for sustainably enhancing California's outdoor recreation and tourism industries.

UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Specialists develop and conduct research and educational programs tailored to specific clientele groups in communities outside of UC campuses. UCCE Specialists have programs primarily focused on mission-oriented research or creative work that supports the university's efforts to extend knowledge, including outreach and community engagement. Mission-oriented research encompasses the entire research continuum, extending from basic research to the application of research results.

This research is generally applied in nature and has as its goal finding solutions to problems facing society that are related to the mission of the UCCE Specialist's discipline and the UCCE mission. UCCE Specialists publish the results of applied research in a combination of peer-reviewed publications and stakeholder-facing materials, including refereed journals, technical reports, and white papers, tailored to the needs of the audiences their programs serve.

The extension program disseminates knowledge and information to clientele groups to help them better understand and address problems and opportunities they face. The extension educational program serves the University's public service mission. Educational program activities include, but are not limited to, collaborations with UCCE Advisors, other UCCE Specialists, campus faculty, program teams, work groups, or clientele groups; developing and presenting educational materials;

communicating to clientele through broadcast, print, or electronic media; participating in meetings with clientele; developing and presenting in-service training courses; organizing or participating in workshops, field tours, symposia or conferences. Much of this work is conducted in partnership with UC ANR's locally based UCCE Advisors. The UCCE Specialist - Advisor and faculty partnership creates an…